• WHAT: Panel discussion "Exzellente Forschung in exzellenter Gesellschaft: Gemeinsam gesellschaftlichen Herausforderungen begegnen"
• WHEN: February 14, 2024, 5-6:30 p.m., followed by a reception
• WHERE: Forum Factory (Besselstraße 13-14, 10969 Berlin // U-Bahnstation. Kochstraße / Checkpoint Charlie) and livestreaming online  

Register here to take part in the event. The event will be in German.

The second competition phase of the Excellence Strategy of the Federal Government (Exzellenzstrategie des Bundes) is in full swing. The applications for the Clusters of Excellence for new and continued funding (Excellenzcluster für Neu- und Weiterförderung) are currently being developed and sharpened, and the new call for proposals for the Universities of Excellence funding line (Förderlinie für die Exzellenzuniversitäten) is expected at the end of March 2024.

Time to address the question: What exactly is a contemporary understanding of excellent research, especially against the backdrop of expanding societal challenges? What can excellent research contribute to overcoming these challenges? How does participatory and transdisciplinary research relate to the great good of academic freedom? And: what place does research with society have in the Excellence Strategy now and in the future?

Together with you and a high-caliber panel of scientists and stakeholders from science policy and funding, we would like to explore these questions and question the currently prevailing concept of excellence. Participating in the panel discussion will be

• Nicole Burkhardt, Head of Division Strategic Foresight, Participation, Social Innovation at the BMBF
• Dr. Ina Czyborra, Senator for Science and Health, Berlin
• Dr. Volker Meyer-Guckel, Secretary General of the Stifterverband
• Prof. Dr. Uwe Schneidewind, Lord Mayor of the City of Wuppertal
• Prof. Dr. Thomas S. Spengler, Technical University of Braunschweig and member of the Excellence Strategy Committee of the German Council of Science and Humanities
• Moderation: Dr. Jan-Martin Wiarda, science journalist

The panel discussion is jointly organized by the Berlin University Alliance, the Excellence Alliance consisting of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Technische Universität Berlin and Universitätsmedizin Charité, as well as the Universities of Excellence RWTH Aachen University and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). Co-organizer is the Society for Transdisciplinary and Participatory Research e.V., founded in March 2023.